Grand alliance treating voters as commodities: PM Modi

Basti (Uttar Pradesh): Stepping up his attack on ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday termed the alliance partners as ‘contractors’ of vote bank and accused them of treating voters like commodities to gain power.

“Be it SP, BSP or Congress, they ditch their principles to gain power. They calculate people as vote bank. They talk about transferring votes like money is transferred from one account to another,” Prime Minister Modi said at an election rally here.

He said: “They are acting as contractors. They say – I have 50 people, take them and give this to me instead. Another says I have 200, take them and give me this particular. They are trading groups of society. They promise to transfer their votes. O Mahamilavatis! There is a huge difference between people and money.”

Prime Minister Modi said that the people will not accept “such parties and their leaders” as the conscience of the people has awakened.

He asserted that the alliance will fail in the election and claimed that a blame game will ensue post the declaration of Lok Sabha polls results.

Modi further said: “Those who used to talk in Lucknowi style of ‘you first, you first’ are playing a game of slitting each other’s throats after completion of four phases. After results, they will start saying who is you?” In a veiled attack on the grand alliance leaders, the Prime Minister said: “There are so many faces doing rounds for PM post. One who is contesting on eight seats is ready to take oath as Prime Minister and one who is contesting on 40 seats has ordered a tailor to sew his clothes.”

“But among these faces, who can finish terrorism? Who can India trust upon? Who thinks of India irrespective of caste and religion?” the PM added.

He said: “I want to tell them — Delhi is far away for them. Delhi is far away for dynasts, casteists, corrupt and those who disrespect armed forces. Their dream to become PM and minister will remain in dreams.”

Highlighting the designation of Pakistan-based terror outfit — Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the United Nation, he alleged that the SP and BSP could not come to terms with the move.

PM Modi said: “People were happy with this move but there was no sleep in the eyes of SP and BSP leaders.”

The fifth phase of General Elections will take place on May 6. The counting of votes for all seven phases will take place on May 23.